Joel Pugh, DMA

Joel Pugh teaches low brass at the University of North Dakota and is the director and founder of the North Dakota Trombone Choir and North Dakota Tuba Quartet.  He performs in the Dakota Brass and the International Brass Quintet.

 

Active as a performer on both trombone and euphonium, he was featured recently with the International Brass Quintet on Arthur Pryor’s Blue Bells of Scotland, the UND Chamber Orchestra on Lars Erik Larsson’s Concertino for Trombone and String Orchestra and on Concerto No. 2 for Euphonium and Wind Band by Thomas Bough, accompanied by the UND Wind Ensemble.   Additionally, he was featured on Nino Rota’s Trombone Concerto and on James Curnow’s Euphonium Concerto, both accompanied by the Bemidji State Wind Ensemble.

 

Dr. Pugh annually performs solo recitals on euphonium and trombone, he has performed solo recitals and conducted master classes at various universities, including Louisiana State University, the Ohio State University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Southern Mississippi University, McNeese State University, the University of South and Brandon University.   In the past, he served on the faculty of the Borealis Brass Congress at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

 

Pugh has served as the principle euphonium in the Brass Band of Columbus and the Cuyahoga Valley Brass Band and has solo concerto appearances on CD releases of each ensemble.  Pugh has also been featured as a euphonium soloist at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, numerous state MENC conventions, the Gala Concert of the North American Brass Band Association, and the Great American Brass Band Festival, in Danville, Kentucky.  As a trombonist, he has performed in a variety of venues, including the 1997 and 1998 International Trombone Workshops and appearances with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Toledo Symphony Orchestra.

 

As a clinician, Pugh has presented clinics at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, as well as at Tubonium.  He has presented at various state MENC conferences, including Minnesota, Ohio and Missouri.

 

His writings have been published in the International Tuba Euphonium Journal and the Brass Band Bridge.  He is the North Dakota representative for the International Association’s Trombone Artists Playing for Amateurs and Students (TAPAS).  Additionally, he is the co-director of the Peace Garden’s Oktubafest and is the director for the Grand Forks TubaChristmas.  He has served on the board of directors for the North American Brass Band Association and is a faculty member at the International Music Camp, where he also serves on their board of directors.

 

Pugh holds a D.M.A. from Michigan State University in euphonium and trombone performance, a M.M. in trombone performance from Bowling Green State University and a B.M. in music education from Ithaca College. Many of his former students are enjoying careers as professional musicians in a variety of venues including major symphony orchestras, university teaching positions, service bands and have been accepted in some of the leading graduate and doctoral programs.

 

Joel Pugh is a Besson/Courtois Performing Artist.